I'm gathering all the pictures I take at the competition into a shared Google folder. Click the link below for access. I'll be adding new pictures through the rest of the trip, until we arrive back in Newell on Monday afternoon.
Showing posts with label science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label science. Show all posts
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
SSDC13!
Tomorrow morning, three current students, a former student mentor and I leave for Sioux City to board the buses to the 2013 Space Settlement Design Competition at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. This is Newell-Fonda's fifth year in the competition, and it's shaping up to be a good one.
I'll be posting updates and pictures as often as possible, both here and on my Twitter feed (@limbert65).
For now, check out the SSDC website for detailed information:
I'll be posting updates and pictures as often as possible, both here and on my Twitter feed (@limbert65).
For now, check out the SSDC website for detailed information:
The travel itinerary is here:
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
SSDC12 Recap
I could not have been more impressed with, and proud of, our Newell-Fonda students who participated in the Space Settlement Design Competition at Johnson Space Center these last few days. The following students went as participants:
- Anthony Jacobs
- Maggie Kime
- Mike Dewey
- Zoe Behrens
- Joseph Mercer
- Tanner Crotty
Mike Duitsman (participated in 2009 and 2010) went along as mentor from Iowa State University. He was the only mentor accepted to go this year. I went as chaperone and tech support for the competition.
All the chaperones and NASA personnel involved in the competition stated their opinion that this was the best group of students, the smoothest competition, and the highest-quality proposals they've seen a long time. Several people down there went out of their way to talk to me about our students, and about our mentor, Mike. They were impressed with their intelligence, knowledge, maturity, work ethic, and flexibility in the face of obstacles.
I want to make special mention of Mike Duitsman's contribution to the competition. There is normally a person at the competition, a NASA employee, who manages the IT (information technology) end of things. He maintains the database of students, splits them up into their teams based on results of an aptitude survey, prints out competition badges, and prints out certificates at the end. This person came down with severe flu, and could not be there. He passed all his information on to Mike and me at the beginning of the competition. Mike and I got all the badges ready, and distributed to the teams. After that, Mike took over completely, and served as the central IT guy during the competition. We literally could not have operated without his help. By the end of the competition, the NASA people were relating to Mike as though he'd always been part of their team. I watched a NASA engineer, known for her sour disposition, chatting and laughing with Mike as though they were old friends. It really was an amazing example of what we hope to accomplish with this program.
Congratulations are also in order for Zoe Behrens, who was a member of the team selected as winner in the competition. She did a great job as a first year participant, we look forward to her taking leadership positions in future competitions.
Thank you to administrators, teachers, school board members, parents, students, support staff, and everyone else who helped make this trip possible!
All the chaperones and NASA personnel involved in the competition stated their opinion that this was the best group of students, the smoothest competition, and the highest-quality proposals they've seen a long time. Several people down there went out of their way to talk to me about our students, and about our mentor, Mike. They were impressed with their intelligence, knowledge, maturity, work ethic, and flexibility in the face of obstacles.
I want to make special mention of Mike Duitsman's contribution to the competition. There is normally a person at the competition, a NASA employee, who manages the IT (information technology) end of things. He maintains the database of students, splits them up into their teams based on results of an aptitude survey, prints out competition badges, and prints out certificates at the end. This person came down with severe flu, and could not be there. He passed all his information on to Mike and me at the beginning of the competition. Mike and I got all the badges ready, and distributed to the teams. After that, Mike took over completely, and served as the central IT guy during the competition. We literally could not have operated without his help. By the end of the competition, the NASA people were relating to Mike as though he'd always been part of their team. I watched a NASA engineer, known for her sour disposition, chatting and laughing with Mike as though they were old friends. It really was an amazing example of what we hope to accomplish with this program.
Congratulations are also in order for Zoe Behrens, who was a member of the team selected as winner in the competition. She did a great job as a first year participant, we look forward to her taking leadership positions in future competitions.
Thank you to administrators, teachers, school board members, parents, students, support staff, and everyone else who helped make this trip possible!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
N-F SSDC 2012
Our NASA team leaves for the 2012 Space Settlement Design Competition at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas the morning of Thursday, March 15. They will arrive back in Newell the afternoon of Monday, March 19. Here is the list of students participating:
- Anthony Jacobs
- Maggie Kime
- Mike Dewey
- Zoe Behrens
- Joseph Mercer
- Tanner Crotty
Mike Duitsman, a two-year veteran of the program, will go along as a mentor from Iowa State University. I will accompany the group as chaperone.
Here is the informational website for the competition:
Here is the informational website for the competition:
I will be blogging and tweeting during the trip and competition. I'll pass on the twitter hashtag when the time comes.
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